VanessaAlexander
- Writer
- Director
Globetrotter Vanessa Alexander first impressed audiences with her 1999 feature Magik and Rose. Her CV encompasses writing, directing (the debut episodes of both Outrageous Fortune and Agent Anna) and producing (short film Cargo). Alexander now concentrates on writing, from homes in Sydney and London — including Australian hit Love Child, Vikings spin-off Valhalla, and Emmy-nominated series The Great.
Screenography
Biography
For Vanessa Alexander globetrotting began early. Born in New York to a Kiwi-born father and an English-born mother, she was raised in California. In her final year of high school she relocated to her father's hometown of Oamaru. After a decade working in Kiwi television and film, Alexander made a home in Australia; she also lives sometimes in England. Alexander has travelled the globe in other ways, by writing scripts about Russian royals, Norse warriors, Kiwi teens and ex-pat British cops.
Awards
2021 Golden Globe Awards (United States)
Nominated for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy: The Great
2021 Writers Guild of America Awards
Nominated for Best Comedy Series: The Great
Nominated for Best New Series: The Great
“Making shows in New Zealand when I was younger taught me to be really resourceful. I ended up doing lots of roles on different kinds of shows — directing, producing, storylining — all of which made me a better writer. Kiwis don’t religiously follow rules, which means I went to the UK with a mind open to thinking a bit differently.”